North Melbourne swiftly matched West Coast's first-round bid for father-son Luke McDonald and the Brisbane Lions were just as quick to nab academy player Jonathan Freeman after Adelaide put its hat in the ring with a third-round pick.
But that was it for the meeting, which was held on the opening morning of last year's Gillette AFL trade period.
Having started at 10am, it was over by 10.05, with clubs moving on quickly to wheeling and dealing in Etihad Stadium's corporate boxes.
Things, it seems, will be far more interesting on the opening morning of the 2014 trade period, with as many as 10 players likely to be in the mix this year as father-sons or zoned prospects.
To the father-sons first.
Darcy Moore is the best of them, and might even be the best player of the draft, depending on who you ask and how fit he is.
Eligible to head to Collingwood as the son of former Magpie and Brownlow medallist Peter, Moore is tall and strong and can play at both ends of the ground. Most importantly, he's out there.
After missing most of the last two years with injury, dogged mainly by hip struggles, Moore is back playing and last weekend participated in the TAC Cup testing day with the Oakleigh Chargers. He pulled out of the AIS-AFL Academy squad last year and travelled after finishing year 12, but has this year to focus on his game.
On his outstanding under-16 form, he has already proved he has the talent but the Pies won't be committing to him any time soon. There are no plans yet for him to play with the Collingwood VFL side, either.
The other father-son prospects are a little further back, but equally as intriguing. Billy Stretch, son of former Demon Steven, trained with Melbourne in January and worked hard.
He's a small, strong running midfielder who most view around the second or third round of the draft at this stage.
West Coast would have been impressed by Alec Waterman at last year's under-18 championships, and the West Australian midfielder will back up again this season. The son of Eagles premiership player Chris is smart, strong and with an ability to cover the ground.
Monitoring the progress of father-son picks is part of the recruiting role at every club.
The Western Bulldogs have four on their list this year and may add a fifth in November, with the club having first rights on Zaine Cordy, brother of Ayce and son of Brian.
Cordy plays for the Geelong Falcons and at about 190cm, is significantly shorter than his older brother but plays a different role.
An interesting case will be Josh Clayton, whose dad Scott Clayton is Gold Coast list manager.
Scott played 160 games for Fitzroy, meaning Josh, who plays for Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup, is eligible to be picked by the Brisbane Lions – the Suns' cross-town rivals.
Josh has recently spent time training with the Lions, and at this stage of his development is seen as more of an outside, running type with good athleticism who will push into the midfield this year.
Scott will be one of the recruiters judging where the father-son players sit, and what – if any – draft selections they should bid.
The zoned academy players fall under the same system, and there is likely to be a group in consideration.
At this stage, midfielder Isaac Heeney appears the best of the lot. Quick, strong and with an ability to accumulate possessions, Heeney is tied to the Sydney Swans and will spend a majority of the season with their NEAFL side.
The Brisbane Lions have two of their local academy boys in the wider AIS-AFL Academy side, Liam Dawson and Matt Hammelmann. Dawson, a tight defender, was named in the under-18 All Australian team last year as one of only two bottom-aged players.
The Suns have one of the year's better midfielders, classy Lachie Weller, within their academy, but he has not lived in Queensland long enough to qualify as a zoned pick.
Greater Western Sydney has two academy prospects in the AIS-AFL Academy, widely regarded as the best group of teenagers in the country. Liam Griffiths and Nick Coughlan have trained with the Giants' senior squad, with Griffiths, a light-bodied midfielder with terrific endurance, being mentored by Tom Scully.
A space to watch for the Giants, however, is what they do with their list.
Eligible to head to Collingwood as the son of former Magpie and Brownlow medallist Peter, Moore is tall and strong and can play at both ends of the ground. Most importantly, he's out there.
After missing most of the last two years with injury, dogged mainly by hip struggles, Moore is back playing and last weekend participated in the TAC Cup testing day with the Oakleigh Chargers. He pulled out of the AIS-AFL Academy squad last year and travelled after finishing year 12, but has this year to focus on his game.
On his outstanding under-16 form, he has already proved he has the talent but the Pies won't be committing to him any time soon. There are no plans yet for him to play with the Collingwood VFL side, either.
The other father-son prospects are a little further back, but equally as intriguing. Billy Stretch, son of former Demon Steven, trained with Melbourne in January and worked hard.
He's a small, strong running midfielder who most view around the second or third round of the draft at this stage.
West Coast would have been impressed by Alec Waterman at last year's under-18 championships, and the West Australian midfielder will back up again this season. The son of Eagles premiership player Chris is smart, strong and with an ability to cover the ground.
Monitoring the progress of father-son picks is part of the recruiting role at every club.
The Western Bulldogs have four on their list this year and may add a fifth in November, with the club having first rights on Zaine Cordy, brother of Ayce and son of Brian.
Cordy plays for the Geelong Falcons and at about 190cm, is significantly shorter than his older brother but plays a different role.
An interesting case will be Josh Clayton, whose dad Scott Clayton is Gold Coast list manager.
Scott played 160 games for Fitzroy, meaning Josh, who plays for Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup, is eligible to be picked by the Brisbane Lions – the Suns' cross-town rivals.
Josh has recently spent time training with the Lions, and at this stage of his development is seen as more of an outside, running type with good athleticism who will push into the midfield this year.
Scott will be one of the recruiters judging where the father-son players sit, and what – if any – draft selections they should bid.
The zoned academy players fall under the same system, and there is likely to be a group in consideration.
At this stage, midfielder Isaac Heeney appears the best of the lot. Quick, strong and with an ability to accumulate possessions, Heeney is tied to the Sydney Swans and will spend a majority of the season with their NEAFL side.
The Brisbane Lions have two of their local academy boys in the wider AIS-AFL Academy side, Liam Dawson and Matt Hammelmann. Dawson, a tight defender, was named in the under-18 All Australian team last year as one of only two bottom-aged players.
The Suns have one of the year's better midfielders, classy Lachie Weller, within their academy, but he has not lived in Queensland long enough to qualify as a zoned pick.
Greater Western Sydney has two academy prospects in the AIS-AFL Academy, widely regarded as the best group of teenagers in the country. Liam Griffiths and Nick Coughlan have trained with the Giants' senior squad, with Griffiths, a light-bodied midfielder with terrific endurance, being mentored by Tom Scully.
A space to watch for the Giants, however, is what they do with their list.
Under AFL rules they need to continue to trim their numbers in the next few seasons, but will likely hold three picks inside the first 25 come November's draft after activating a compensation pick at the end of the first round. Again it's an enviable position for list manager Stephen Silvagni and company.
More broadly, the draft sits at an interesting point ahead of the season getting underway.
While most recruiters believe this year's crop has more depth than last year, they tend to think the first group of 10-12 picks will not be of the same level as last year's star-studded group.
Certainly it is a top end with more key position depth. Aside from Moore, there is Hugh Goddard, Jake Lever, Sam Durdin, Peter Wright and Patrick McCartin, who are highly rated and all stand above 190cm.
But where Tom Boyd, Lachie Whitfield and Jonathan Patton were crowned the top choice of their respective drafts by this stage of their seasons, in 2014 there is no clear standout.
"It keeps it interesting," said one recruiter. Another said this time last year they could have correctly tipped 10 of the first 12 players in the draft. Not so this year. "It's even, and any of those tall guys could jump up," he said.
Everyone will start to get a better sense soon, particularly when the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships kick off at the end of May.
In the rejigged format of the carnival, the division one states will compete in a home and away format, but the opening game will be between rivals Vic Metro and Vic Country.
Twitter: @AFL_CalTwomey
More broadly, the draft sits at an interesting point ahead of the season getting underway.
While most recruiters believe this year's crop has more depth than last year, they tend to think the first group of 10-12 picks will not be of the same level as last year's star-studded group.
Certainly it is a top end with more key position depth. Aside from Moore, there is Hugh Goddard, Jake Lever, Sam Durdin, Peter Wright and Patrick McCartin, who are highly rated and all stand above 190cm.
But where Tom Boyd, Lachie Whitfield and Jonathan Patton were crowned the top choice of their respective drafts by this stage of their seasons, in 2014 there is no clear standout.
"It keeps it interesting," said one recruiter. Another said this time last year they could have correctly tipped 10 of the first 12 players in the draft. Not so this year. "It's even, and any of those tall guys could jump up," he said.
Everyone will start to get a better sense soon, particularly when the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships kick off at the end of May.
In the rejigged format of the carnival, the division one states will compete in a home and away format, but the opening game will be between rivals Vic Metro and Vic Country.
Twitter: @AFL_CalTwomey
